Rail brace



G. s. VICKROY RAIL BRACE Spt. 14, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 10, 1945 Inventor:

P655. V/C/(EOK- 650 Amfa ,Awm fi/Ii 4/70/174 p 14, 1948. G. s. VICKROY 2,449,260

RAIL BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 10, 1945 FIG mvmzw; QEOEfE Wave- 0K I fi/3 14/507651,

Patented Sept. 14, 1948 George S. Vickroy, Llohnstown, -Pa., assignordto Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporat ion o't New Jersey .yoriginal applieation August 10, 194'5;,--. Sflrial.No. 610,029.. vDivided and this-.applicattionsDeoem- Zher 24, 194TZ S eiial No. 793,700

1 i This inventionre'lates to adjustable rail braces and more particularly to rail braces embodying a wedge member for effecting adjustment thereof. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 610,029, filed August 10, 1945.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved rail brace which is simple and rugged in design and dependable in use.

The foregoing and further objects will be apparent from the specification and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved rail brace;

Figure 2 is a transverse section of line IIII of Figure 1; t

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line III III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view with the cover member removed.

The letter A designates a tie plate on the inner end of which there is disposed a railway rail R. The position of the rail R on the tieplate is determined by a spike S and an adjustable brace B due to the brace B being engaged by a wedge member D which slidably engages a stop member or abutment E riveted or otherwise secured to the tie plate A adjacent the outer end thereof. Bolts 2 extend upwardly from the tie plate to receive the brace B and a locking-cover member C, both of which have elongated holes 4 and 5, respectively, therein to permit relative movement between such members and the tie plate when the brace is adjusted by the wedge D.

Brace B has upstanding side flanges 6 and an overhanging cover portion 8 which extends outwardly to stop E when the brace is in its outermost position. A vertically extending aperture I is provided in the brace with the outer edge thereof slightly beyond the inner edge of the overhanging cover 8 and the inner side extending to a boss l2 on the under side of the brace B.

A locking cover C is disposed on the brace B and is secured thereon by bolts 2. A square hole I6 is provided in the cover C between the bolts 2 and an overhanging lip 20 which extends outwardly over the cover portion 8.

The wedge D has a plurality of square slots 14 at the mid-portion of the inner face thereof which engages the brace B. A locking insert I8 having square ribs 22 extending vertically thereof, is adapted to be disposed in the aperture I0. The ribs 22 are placed in different positions on the sides 24 of the insert 18 to provide adjustment. Thus, by turning the insert a quarter turn, the--position -of the rib22 engaging the slots M on wedge D is adjusted transversely of the rail brace. The insert has an upwardly extending square stud 26 which is adapted to extend through the opening Is in the cover C, which opening is slightly larger than the stud 26.

In use, with the brace B loosely placed on the tie plate A over the bolts 2, the wedge D is driven into the opening between the brace and abutment E the desired distance to properly position the rail R. The insert I8 is rotated until a rib 22 slips in a square slot M in wedge D. The insert is then dropped into the recess I 0 and the cover 0 placed on the bolts 2. The stud 26 is then prevented from turning by the sides of the: opening 56 in cover plate 0. The rear face of the depending insert l8 then engages the boss l2. Nuts on the bolts 2 are then tightened and the brace will hold the rail in properly adjusted position.

Even though the nuts are not properly tightened or become loosened due to vibration, it is seen that the locking member still functions to hold the wedge in the selected position since the slots thereon extend across the full thickness and are engaged completely thereacross by the ribs on the insert. Due to the size and weight of the locking cover and insert and the latters engagement at the inner side with the boss l2, engagement of the slots is securely maintained. Since 30 the overhanging cover .8 extends outwardly toward the abutment E and the lip portion 20 of the cover extends over the aperture in and outwardly over the overhanging cover, the wedge and slots are protected so that readjustment thereof is not hampered by being clogged with dirt or the like.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable rail brace including a tie plate having an abutment extending thereacross,

an adjustable brace member mounted on said tie plate and adapted to abut and position a rail disposed on said tie plate, said brace having an overhanging cover extending outwardly to said abutment, a wedge member disposed beneath said cover and engaging said abutment and said brace to adjust said brace, the edge of said wedge member abutting said brace being serrated, said brace having a vertically extending aperture in its midportion, a downwardly extending boss under said brace inwardly of said aperture, means for securing said brace to said tie plate and for securing locking members on said brace, said locking members comprising a plate member having an aperture therein, and an insert disposed in said vertically'extending aperture below the aperture in said plate member, at leastone rib on each side of said insert, some of said ribs being located at difierent locations on the sides of said insert, an upwardly extending stud on said insert adapted to extend into the aperture in said plate member, the inner side of, said insert adapted to engage said boss and the rib on the outer side adapted to engage a serration .on said wedge, said cover and said plate member overlying the wedge and the serrated locking edge thereon. I

2. An adjustable rail brace including a tie plate having an abutment extending thereacross, an

adjustable brace member mounted on said tie plate and adapted to abut and position a rail disposed on said tie plate, a wedge member disposed position.

'4. on said tie plate and engaging said abutment and said brace to adjust said brace, the edge of said wedge member abutting said brace being serrated, said brace having a vertically extending aperture in its mid-portion, a downwardly extending boss under said brace inwardly of said aperture, means for securing said brace to said tie plate and for securing a locking member on said brace, said locking member comprising a plate member, and an insert disposed in said vertically extending aperture below the plate member, at least One vertically extending rib on each side of said insert, some of said ribs being disposed at different locations on the sides of said insert, the inner side of said insert adapted to engage said boss and the rib on the outer side adapted to engage a serration on said wedge, said plate member adapted to maintain said insert in said aperture to thereby hold said brace in its adjusted GEORGE S.. VICKROY. 

